If property is located within the city limits, contact the appropriate city hall for more information. If property is located within the unincorporated areas of Floyd County, you would go to the Planning and Zoning Office located on 1st floor of the Floyd County Courthouse.

Iowa has a mandatory arrest law in cases of domestic violence. After the arrest, the defendant will have an initial appearance in front of a magistrate. At this time, a No Contact Order will most likely be issued. A No Contact Order states that the defendant shall have no contact of any nature, whether in person, by telephone, in writing, or otherwise with you as the protected party. It also states that the defendant shall not be on or adjacent to your residence, school, or place of employment. This order is in place throughout the criminal process. If the defendant does not obey this order, call the police immediately.

It is important that you keep a copy of your No Contact Order with you at all times. The criminal No Contact Order only applies to you. If you have children or other family that you are concerned about, you may want to consider applying for a civil 236 Protection Order. Crisis Intervention Service can assist you with this process.

Any victim of domestic abuse can obtain a civil protective order by going to the clerk of court and asking for the form for protective orders. You fill out the form, and give it back to the clerk. Then you go see a judge. The judge will see you ahead of regular court business, because of the emergency nature of protective orders. The temporary order granted by the judge will be in effect until a hearing on the case can take place-usually about 10 to 15 days after you first get the temporary order. For more information click on Civil Protective Orders.

We are here to support you in your decision, however, we want to make sure you are safe.

There are additional options besides completely lifting a No Contact Order. You can talk with a Victim Witness Coordinator or Advocate about possible modifications or changes while keeping portions of the order in place. It is important to remember that ultimately it is the court’s decision whether the order will be dismissed.

If after reviewing this information, you have additional questions please call 641-228-0015 to get in contact with an advocate.

It is impossible for you to drop the charges because you are not the one who filed charges. The charges were filed by the County Attorney's Office after reviewing all the evidence against the defendant. It is important for the defendant to realize that he must live within the laws of our society and that violent actions against you, or anyone else, have no place in our community. It is also important that the defendant gets help for his violent behavior.

The Floyd County Auditor's Office can assist you with registering to vote. You can also register to vote when you apply for an Iowa Drivers License or apply for services through the Department of Human Services.

First time applicants must provide proof of citizenship and identity. Applications are available in the Floyd County Auditor's Office or you can visit www.travel.state.gov and fill the form out online. For more information, contact the Auditor's Office at 641-257-6131. Obtain a US Passport Application

The Recorder's Office will email or fax you a copy of the mortgage if you provide the document number/book & page. The information can be faxed to you for a nominal fee or emailed at no charge. Your bill will be the cover page of your fax.

We do not perform searches. You may come into the Recorder's Office and use terminals provided for public use. We will be glad to show you how to use our system. This information can be faxed to you for a nominal fee or emailed at no charge. Your bill will be the cover page of your fax. Our records are open for public inspection.

Yes, but it is very time consuming. We prefer to fax the information for a nominal fee or emailed at no charge. Your bill will be the cover page of your fax. Contact the Recorder's Office at 641-257-6154 for more information.

New hunting and fishing licenses are available on December 15 for the following calendar year. Current licenses are valid until January 10. Prices of the various game licenses are available on the Iowa Department Of Natural Resources

If you were born in another county in Iowa, the Floyd County Recorder's Office can issue a certified copy of your birth if it occurred from 1990 to present. If you were born before 1990, you may apply at your county of birth or the Floyd County Recorder's Office can assist you in preparing an application and forward it to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

If you were born in another state, you must contact the state of birth to obtain your birth record.

You can obtain a certified copy of a death certificate from the Floyd County Recorder's Office. We can issue a certified copy of a death certificate back to 1954. I the person died before 1954, you will have to obtain the record in the county of death or at the State level. Click here

In 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, the State Chief Jail Inspector's report stated that the current jail, “Is an older facility that does not meet the needs of the staff or public." Based on today's regulations, some concerns with the current jail include steel cells and improper segregation of inmates. The issue is not overpopulation, the problem is the jail itself. Floyd County's jail has been grandfathered in; however, it is only a matter of time before the grandfathering is lost and the jail no longer meets state regulations.

Floyd County, being proactive, started conversations with county and city officials and Prochaska and Associates (the Architect Firm). A committee was then formed to research current issues/needs and to work with the architects on a suitable design based on their findings.

No. The proposed law enforcement center will house the Floyd County Jail, Sheriff's Office, Emergency Operations Center and Floyd County Communications Center. Several courthouse updates that will be incorporated in the bond referendum include new ADA restrooms, windows, heating and cooling system and elevators.

Yes, a joint study and needs assessment between Floyd County and the City of Charles City was completed by FEH Designs in 2015. FEH provided ideas, designs and needs for community buildings. The Jail concept received positive results from the citizens and was listed as the highest priority from a community standpoint.

A joint County and City committee was formed to detail out a joint law enforcement center and jail. Prochaska and Associates were hired to research the need for this facility and provide design options. Prochaska put together several design options and provided the County with a cost analysis for transporting and housing inmates outside of Floyd County.

Our society requires a satisfactory facility to hold individuals awaiting trial and those sentenced to be incarcerated. It is our moral and constitutional duty to provide a safe and secure environment for staff and inmates while ensuring all medical, nutritional, substance abuse and mental health treatment needs are met. It is the duty of the Sheriff and Jail Administrator to adhere to the Iowa Jail Standards and ensure the safety of all inmates, staff, and citizens.

With the recent jail inspections and deteriorating condition of the forth floor, along with the jails inability to properly segregate and house inmates and future costs, the need is now. There are also cost savings with a new facility in terms of reduced maintenance costs and less money spent for housing and transporting inmates out of county.

All registered voters in Floyd County will be able to vote on the bond referendum on May 1, 2018 as a Floyd County-wide special election from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. From the time successful passage of the vote occurs, until the building is occupied, will be approximately two or three years.

If the citizens of Floyd County chose to do nothing, the county will continue to see increased costs in operation and maintenance. There is also a risk of the current jail being shut down. A sound plan is to construct a new law enforcement center. Taking action in order to avoid a crisis in the event of a closed facility or lawsuit is the next step. The path is to invest time now in order to be proactive and not reactive.

No. A study by Prochaska and Associates found that renovating the fourth floor is not an option due to space and state compliance. Being compliant with state codes would decrease the number of cells and cause inmates to be housed and transported out of county. This has not been found to be cost effective.

Yes, here is the current jail tour schedule and information on registering for those tours. If none of those times work, individuals and groups may call the sheriff's office at 641-228-1821 to schedule a tour. There are pictures on Floyd County's website and town hall meetings will be hosted throughout the county to help answer your questions.

No, it would not save money if the County waited to build. There would be inflation costs of construction (see Question 10). The Sheriff's office would incur increased costs for transporting and housing inmates out of county. On average, it costs $55/day, plus any transportation costs, per inmate transported outside of Floyd County.

The proposed jail pod design would replace the outdated linear layout. The pod design contains sections of cells arranged around a central control station, from which a jailer can monitor all housing units. A linear designed jail contains cell blocks with bars along a hall.

The American Correctional Association is very specific that "continuous observation of inmate living areas is a fundamental requirement for maintaining safe, secure custody and control" and that's exactly what the pod design does. The new law enforcement center will allow adequate classifications of inmates which is required by State of Iowa Jail Standards. Inmates need to be seperated: felons from misdemeanors, males from females (by sight and sound), juveniles from adults, sentenced inmates versus those accused of crime and awaiting trial and further segregation due to behavior and mental health needs. A new law enforcement center will increase the safety of all inmates, public and staff.

These issues are addressed in detail under the “Sheriff’s Office” tab. In short, having converted an apartment into an office has created limited space for the number of staff and files. This creates cramped working spaces, resulting in less efficient work.

Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) is a federal mandate and audits will be conducted in the future of the Floyd County Jail. PREA audits could further reduce the functional number of beds available because of classifications and separation of inmates due to the current facility's linear design. This would result in significant decreases in the capability to house inmates in Floyd County, resulting in increased costs and staffing to transport inmates out of county.

Yes, jail standards have changed since 1941 when the jail was originally built and the jail no longer meets the current requirements.

Although we have done the best we can with what we have given the location of the Jail and Sheriff's Office, expansion is not an option. To properly segregate the inmates with a redesign of the current space would dramatically decrease the number of inmates the County can house. This would result in increased transportation and housing costs.

The current location west of the courthouse is an ideal and practical location. By connecting to the existing courthouse, thus keeping inmates secured within the same walls, transporting inmates to District and Magistrate court is safer and more efficient versus transporting from another location. The Sheriff’s Office conducts Courthouse and Courtroom Security, by being connected, this allows for immediate response to any emergencies and allows for efficient workflow between the other county departments located in the courthouse.

A majority of the property where the new facility will be constructed is currently owned by the county, adjacent property will need to be acquired in the future. This location cost would be cheaper than buying commercial land elsewhere, which may or may not be in the downtown area of Charles City, or even in town at all.

The proposed new facility is 18,153 square feet, (24,131 total with walls & circulation).

In should be noted that the total increase in space for just the Sheriff’s Office and Jail is approximately 5,200 square feet and the Communications Center, garages, Emergency Operations Center, break room, interview rooms, armory, locker rooms and exercise room are all new additions.

The Communications Center dispatches for all of Floyd County and is currently funded through a county-wide tax. A Facility Study by FEH listed several issues with the building itself; including mechanical, electrical, fire code, roof, doors, windows and ADA compliance. The City of Charles City is uncertain on future plans for the Police Department/City Hall building. With the county currently having a location, plan and design for a future facility, Floyd County is exploring the option to relocate the Communications Center in the new facility. The proposed new location will meet and exceed state standards for space requirements, ADA compliant as well as the addition of new and updated equipment.

Being located next to the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) is an integral part of any natural disaster or major emergency operation. The two work hand in hand and are essential in the efficient gathering and release of information. There is also a benefit and possibility of cross training between dispatchers/correctional officers.

No. In the last ten years, twelve facilities have had similar issues, concerns and bond referendums to build new Sheriff’s Offices, Jails, Emergency Operations Centers, Dispatch Centers and Joint Law Enforcement Centers. Most all facilities that date older than the 1960’s, are having the same issues with segregation, poor design, site and sound separation, leaks, space concerns and the threat of being shut down by the State Jail Inspector.

The links on the left-hand side of the Sheriff's main page offer descriptions and detailed analysis of the issues and concerns concerning the Sheriff’s Office, Jail and courthouse. These links also contain images of our current facilities. There is also a link for the meeting notes, presentations, designs and cost analysis.

Information concerning the renovations and improvements for the courthouse can be found on the Floyd County website under the Auditor's Office or by clicking on this link here.